196 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
[ March 6, 1884. 
thickly will need thinniDg before disbudding can be brought to a close ; 
and as the main principle in Peach-forcing is to carry on every operation 
without causing a check, a few of the least promising fruit should be 
removed daily as disbudding is performed, and at the same time pinch 
back many of the growths that are retained to attract the sap to the fruit, 
and which are afterwards removed, for although Peaches fruit freely on 
spurs formed early in the season, they never produce such fine fruits as 
are obtained from clean short-jointed growths a foot or more in length. 
With the increased sun power, and as cold cutting winds may be ex¬ 
pected, sharp currents and sudden changes of temperature must be 
guarded against by ventilating early and gradually, and reducing it in 
the same way, rapid fluctuations being highly injurious. Until the 
stoning is past it will be advisable to continue the low night temperature 
previously advised, or 60° in mild weather, and 5° less in severe weather, 
w jfh ar > advance of 10° to 15° by day in sunny weather, but when dull 
65° should be the maximum until the stoning is completed. Syringe the 
trees twice on fine days, but be more sparing of water when dull, always 
syringing early in the afternoon, so as to get the leaves dry before night. 
When it is not advisable to syringe the trees counteract the drying in¬ 
fluence of fire heat by damping the floors and borders, and sprinkle the 
floors before nightfall with tepid liquid manure. 
Succession Houses .—Disbudding must be attended to, also thinning 
the fruits where too thickly set. In later houses observe a medium course 
with regard to moisture until the fruits are set and swelling, when the 
directions given for the management of the early house will apply. In¬ 
side borders must not be allowed to become dry, as many crops of Peaches 
have been injured or lost through being kept too dry when in active 
growth. 
_ Melons. —Due attention must be given to stopping, thinning, and 
tying the young shoots as they advance, also in impregnating the blossoms 
on fine days when the pollen is dry, as it does not do to leave this im¬ 
portant matter to chance or insect agency. When the flowers are set 
stop the shoots one joint beyond the fruits, and when these are swelling 
they should be thinned, leaving about four on each plant, or less, accord¬ 
ing to the vigour of the plants and the size the fruits are wished to attain, 
having them as evenly distributed as possible. When the fruits are swell¬ 
ing it will be necessary to earth-up the roots, applying the soil firmly, 
and having it the same temperature as the bed. Give a good watering 
previously to earthing-up the roots with tepid liquid manure in a weak 
state. The bottom heat should be kept steady at 80° to 85°. Admit a 
little air at 75°, but not so as to lower the temperature. Increase the 
ventilation with the sun heat, keeping the temperature at 80° to 85° 
through the day, and close at 85°, then syringing moderately, and allow 
ari advance to 90°. Keep the temperature at 70° to 75° in the day¬ 
time when the weather is cold or the sun obscured by clouds, and 
70° at night, falling to 65° in the morning. Omit syringing the plants 
in dull weather, but maintain a genial condition of the atmosphere by 
damping surfaces in the morning and afternoon, keeping the evaporation 
troughs filled with liquid manure. Successional sowings and plantings 
will need to be made according to the requirements of the establishment. 
Plants in dung-heated frames will need a little earth added to the sides 
of the hillocks or ridges as the roots protrude, but water will not be 
much needed, as the moisture from the fermenting materials will be 
sufficient in most cases, and when needed it must be given in a tepid 
state, avoiding wetting the foliage and collar of the plants. Keep the 
collar free from lateral growth, and remove every alternate lateral on the 
principal growths when they are quite young, reserving only four shoots 
to each plant, training two to the back and the other two to the front of 
the frame or pit, and stopping when about a foot from the sides. See 
that the linings are regularly attended to, employing good night cover¬ 
ings on the lights. Ventilate carefully, but lose no opportunity of doing 
so, and close early in the afternoon. 
Cucumbers. —Afford plants in bearing liberal supplies of tepid liquid 
manure, syringing moderately in the morning and at closing time in 
bright weather, but rest satisfied with sprinkling the paths and beds 
twice a day in dull weather, so as to counteract the drying influences 
of fire heat, and maintain a growing atmosphere, keeping the evaporation 
troughs filled with liquid manure, or, failing those, sprinkle the floors 
before nightfall with liquid manure. Careful and regular attention must 
be given to tying and removing superfluous shoots or fruits, the greatest 
evil in Cucumber-growing being overcrowding and overcropping. 
loung plants are now making vigorous growth and need training 
regularly and not too closely over the trellis. Stop the shoots when they 
have extended over about two-thirds of the trellis, and the laterals or 
side shoots showing fruit may be stopped a joint or two beyond the fruit. 
Remove all superfluous fruits and most of the male blossoms. Water 
must be given as needed in a tepid state, and a little soil previously 
warmed added to the sides of the ridges or hillocks from time to time as 
the roots protrude until the space is filled. The linings of dung-heated 
frames or pits must be well attended to, keeping up a reserve of ferment¬ 
ing materials for making new beds. 
PLANT HOUSES. 
StejBianotisfioribunda .—Plants that have up to the present time been 
kept cooler and in a drier atmosphere than the stove will, if introduced 
into brisk moist heat, soon commence growth. If potting is needed, this 
may he done as soon as the roots commence advancing, employing a com¬ 
post of good peat and loam in equal proportions, to which is added a little 
honemeal and broken charcoal. Do not disturb the old hall more than is 
necessary in removing the drainage from amongst roots and loose soil from 
the surface. The pots in which they are to be grown should he liberally 
drained and the soil pressed in firmly. After potting, supply water care¬ 
fully until the roots are growing freely. If potting is not needed, top- 
dress with some rich compost, and feed the plant liberally when in active 
growth. If the plant is trained upon a trellis elevate it close to the 
glass, and as the new growths extend secure them to small cords. If any 
young plants are needed take off the growths with a heel when about 
3 inches in length, and insert singly in small pots in sandy peat; give a 
good watering after insertion, and place them in a close frame or under a 
bellglass. 
Clerodendron Balfourianum .—The earliest plant that was started will 
now have young growths that are in the best condition for striking. The 
portions selected should be about 3 inches in length, and taken off with a 
sharp knife close to where they join the old wood. Insert two cuttings, 
one on each side, of 2 or 3-inch pots, and, after watering them, place them 
in a close frame, and nearly every one will form roots. These when ready 
should be placed into 6 or 7-inch pots and grown on in any warm house, 
and before the close of the season will have well-ripened shoots several 
yards long. The shoots the following season may he trained round four or 
five stakes and forced into bloom for the side stages of the stove, or retarded 
for flowering in the conservatory during early summer. Young plants 
produced by this method are invaluable for forcing. 
Bougainvillea glabra .—Young shoots taken off and treated as advised 
for the Clerodendrons will soon root, only these should be inserted singly. 
If grown and potted on until they are placed in 8-inch pots, they will be 
found useful for flowering in the stove another year, or in the conservatory 
during the summer. By preparing plants of this description for cool 
structures that have to be kept gay during summer an attractiveness is 
produced which cannot be obtained by the ordinary summer-blooming 
plants. During summer there is too much sameness in conservatories and 
other similar structures, which can only be broken by the preparation of 
such stove plants that will flower and flourish for some time without 
injury. The lal our in the production of these quick-growing plants is 
little. Small plants of Allamanda Wardleyana (Hendersonii) may he pre 
pared and grown on for the same purpose. 
Ixoras .—These plants may now be repotted if they need it, and will 
do well in either peat or loam, or both combined; the former with a good 
dash of coarse sand is the best, as peat does not become sour if good 
through constant watering the same as loam. The plants to be potted now 
should have been pruned hack some time ago, and have commenced growth. 
If this is not done no time should he lost, and the operation of potting 
postponed for a time until they have commenced growth. In potting the 
roots should be disturbed as little as possible, and the new soil should be 
pressed firmly into the pots. After potting water must be applied with 
great care until the roots are growing freely. If practicable, plunge the 
pots in a bottom heat of 80° to 85°, and the top heat at night from 65° 
to 70°. Syringe the plants twice during fine days. If specimen plants are 
wanted tie out the shoots as growth extends, bringing the strongest well 
down to furnish the base. 
Y oung stock may be raised by inserting the tops of the shoots that are 
pruned hack; these should be inserted singly in 2-inch pots containing 
sandy soil, and placed in a close frame until rooted, These young plants 
can be grown on without being stopped, and are invaluable, with one large 
truss upon them, for purposes of decoration. If plants with from four to 
six shoots are required, the young plants must he pinched until the requi¬ 
site number are formed, and then allowed to grow without stopping until 
they flower. 
Seeds of Primulas, Gloxinias, Begonias, Cinerarias, Cockscombs, and 
Celosias may now be sown. The three first mentioned should be sown 
upon the surface of the soil in the pots or pans employed. The surface 
soil for the former should be light, and composed principally of leaf mould 
that has been passed through a fine sieve. For the second and third a 
sandy surface is preferable. The seeds of the others may he lightly covered 
with any fine open soil. Water with a fine rose after sowing and cover 
with a square of glass, and keep the pots or pans shaded from the sun until 
the seeds germinate. Care must be taken after the seed is once sown that 
the surface soil never approaches dryness, or the seeds may fail to germi¬ 
nate freely. After sowing stand or plunge the pots or pans in a heated 
structure. 
THE FLOWER GARDEN AND PLEASURE GROUND. 
Formation of Hedges .—It is not yet too late to form new hedge¬ 
rows or repair old ones. The common Yew and Hollies are both well 
adapted for the purpose, but the latter should not be planted till the 
end of this month. Procure strong plants, and let the positions for 
them be well drained, manured, and deeply dug. If each plant touches 
those next it a good hedge will soon he formed, as there is no necessity 
to cut them hack. During the first year they must not he allowed to get 
dry at the roots, and, as a partial preventive, mulch early either with 
strawy manure or grass from the mowing machine. For surrounding 
extensive grounds and plantations a good hedge may be formed either 
with a mixture of Privet and Quick Thorn, or where the positions are 
not very wet, with Beech and Quick Thorn. These, too, ought to have 
well-prepared positions, and may he planted in double lines about 12 inches 
asunder, and the plants the same distance apart and angled. Cut them 
down to within 6 inches of the ground, shortening them the second season 
to within 12 inches of where last shortened, and again the next spring in 
a similar manner, the object being to secure good bottoms, without 
which a hedge is of little service. All young hedgerows should be well 
protected, have the ground annually lightly dug on each side of them, 
and be kept clean. 
